An historic campsite forever linked with the legend of bushranger Ned Kelly has been badly damaged by vandals.
But even the notorious bandit would struggle to understand the motivations behind the crime in which more than 200 metres of pine post barriers were damaged and more than 120 pine posts were ripped from the ground. The damage bill will run into thousands of dollars. Healthy trees were also cut down to fuel campfires.
Police are now investigating the incident at Stringybark Creek camping area in the Toombullup State Forest near the Victorian town of Mansfield.
“The barriers and posts were used to separate camping and visitor areas at the site,” Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) district manager – Goulburn, Lucas Russell, told the Mansfield Courier. “This type of vandalism is senseless and has negative impacts for the broader community.”
